The Great Outdoors

We just returned last night from a glorious camping trip. Because it is the end of the season, not many other people were willing to brave the cold and camp in a tent for the weekend. There were maybe four other tents in our entire loop. We were surrounded by trees, sat by the fire, cooked over the fire, and didn't shower.

The trip was truly wonderful. We came home stinky, relaxed and rejuvenated. Surprisingly, sleeping on an air mattress in the freezing cold really does something for us. There really is something about being in the outdoors for longer than one hour that enhances life. Outside of the city we could hear wind in the trees, get hit in the head with leaves, and not hear any traffic.

Something else I realized is this: Sometimes technology is evil. Not always, because it is helpful as well. However, a weekend away from any and all technology was so freeing. I didn't even check my voicemail on my cell phone. Today, I thought about this and realized - what if there had been an emergency? Then I realized that only in today's world would anyone even think that. Before, people didn't have cell phones. People got ahold of people when they did. It is amazing how technology has infringed everything. Everything.

We read half of the third book of The Lord of the Rings and we are really into it. We've been reading these books for about a year - we started The Hobbit sometime last fall. The books give an even fuller and more vivid picture of the story than the movies. Obviously, the books have more story, but it is phenomenal how Tolkien painted pictures with words. I almost gagged during a scene about killing a Nazgul because I honestly felt as though I was smelling and watching it happen. Amazing.

I am ever so thankful that God is a God who created a beautiful universe. (Except for the raccoons that stole our dark chocolate off the table - not so sure about those...)